Folk music....best albums to buy?

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I recently discovered Kate Rusby and my family has listened to her 'Awkward Annie' all year! Even my seven yr old dd knows the words and tunes.

I love her mix if old and more modern and the gentleness of her sound.

I'm stuck as to where to go next. I love trad folk tunes and their history but also need good family listenining for the car!!

Few ideas....?Bellowhead, Seth Lakeman? Is Steeleye Span to old fashioned? Mumford and Sons?
and I know the Carthys are a big deal in folk.....which is their best album? What would you recommend by Norma Waterson? (Excuse me getting any names wrong)

Please do recommend the artists best album as money's tight.

Thanks!

niminypiminy's DH says:

If you only buy one folk album, get Penguin Eggs by Nic Jones. It's completely fantastic, and a huge influence on a lot of today's folk singers. Sadly his other albums are out of print owing to a copyright dispute, and he never made another record since Penguin Eggs after being terribly injured in a car crash.

Shirley & Dolly Collins made a series of brilliant and strange albums in the early 70s starting (I think) with Anthems In Eden. They've been reissued on one CD and I love them, but the unusual arrangements take a bit of getting used to -- they are not at all twee or pretty.

A recent album I really like is Orfeo by Fay Hield & the Hurricane Party.

June Tabor and Anne Briggs are definitely worth checking out too.

Get thee to Spotify and check out the following:

Laura Marling, an amazingly talented young English woman. Her most recent album, Once I Was an Eagle, is wonderful.

Lisa Hannigan. Sea Sew is her best album IMO.

First Aid Kit were a mumsnet recommendation. Love love love.

The Villagers.

Emmylou Harris, especially the album Wrecking Ball. Actually it wasn't on Spotify last I checked, but it may be now because I heard a remastered version was released last month.

Nick Drake. pink Moon.

I'm off to have a listen to Penguin Eggs and Kate Rusby :) I discovered my favourite album of 2012 on the last of these threads I visited (The Lion's Roar by First Aid Kit)..

Megson have just released a really great new album and also have a brilliant album of songs for kids.

Sam Lee. I love love love Sam Lee. Seriously Sam Lee.

I love the Unthanks too.

Awkward Annie is my daughter's personal theme! Great song.

For Scottish folk I heartily recommend Alasdair Roberts's 'The Crook of my arm' - great stuff.

Leave Your Sleep by Natalie Merchant is a collection of classic children's poems set to music. Appeals to all ages.

Ani difranco, Inge Thompson

I came on to say Ani DiFranco. Also Kathryn Williams.

Seth Lakeman - Poor Man's Heaven is amazing.

I'm also a very big Levellers fan, but I'll keep that to myself!

Another vote for First Aid Kit, they are fantastic.

Sounds to me like you should invest in some Karine Polwart music - she is really fantastic.

Also love The Road North by Alasdair Fraser and Harp I Do by Corinna Hewat.

Johnny Flynn
Emmy the great

.

I bloody love The Waterboys.
This is my favourite of theirs m.youtube.com/watch?v=_VKouBHarIo

Gjallarhorn are a recent discovery for me. Fab modal harmonies from northern Finland/Sweden.

Try I Riden Så

Or Näcken och jungfrun (20m 45s in)